WIDNES found themselves in the rough at Hoylake

After only five minutes - all spent in the Widnes half - a simple penalty for a tackle infringement gave Hoylake's full-back Young an easy three points.

Widnes pulled themselves together to attack with ball in hand.

Andy McIntosh, starting his first game at stand-off, made an incisive break from his own half and linked well with prop Nick Preston to set up good handling across the field.

Continued pressure from a scrum taken against the head ended with a penalty and three points through the reliable boot of Andy Riley.

The rest of the half almost all belonged to Hoylake. Only some last-ditch tackling from the excellent Andy O'Neill at fullback saved Widnes.

But on 20 minutes that was not enough to repel the wave of fine handling from the lively home backs who ran in a fine converted try.

It was the same story on the half hour - O'Neill's heroics were again not enough to stop Hoylake breaking through for another converted try.

At 17-8, Widnes stirred themselves, and a McIntosh break ended with a chip ahead which was hacked into touch by a desperate defence.

A well-worked lineout gave quick ball to the back line for Matty Buckle to power over through two tackles in the left-corner.

With the first half going into overtime, Hoylake almost replicated the Widnes try for a 22-8 lead.

The freshening wind was behind Widnes in the second half and they kicked everything but let the home side off the hook through inaccuracy.

Ten minutes in, Widnes put together their best move of the game.

Captain Borg broke from his own half with Farmer and Farrow carrying on.

Glover linked with the backs for Reilly to hit the line at pace to run in from 20 metres, converting himself.

Lineout possession gave the Wids backs an opportunity to work an overlap through O'Neill coming into the line to give Ian Cheveau an easy run-in on debut.

Riley added the conversion, to make it 22-22.

Widnes were on a roll and should have gone on to win the game. Instead, it was all Hoylake - they ran in 19 unanswered points, manufacturing quick second and third-phase possession to run into wide-open spaces.

Andy O'Neill had turned in a MoM effort and the Widnes front five will have encouraged the coaching staff with their efforts in the set pieces.

A makeshift front row of Nick Preston, Glover and debutee Morton worked exceptionally hard against bigger opposition and distinguished themselves in the loose.